TMNT and Jo--Joey's First Word
by BBPRIMEFAN101
Summary: Josephine's new family learns just how smart she is, and she manages to say her first word only a few weeks after her birthday. And she learns how to run before she knows how to walk.


Summary: Josephine's new family learns just how smart she is, and she manages to say her first word only a few weeks after her birthday. And she learns how to run before she knows how to walk.  
Josephine is my own RP character!  
**I don't own anything TMNT related!**

The four six-year-old turtles ran around the lair, laughing and chasing one another while their father meditated, and their new human baby sister Josephine sitting on the couch, watching her new brothers run around the couch. She turned her head to the left and followed the turtles all the way to the right.

Then, she observed their feet. One reached out farther than the other, and they pushed off the back foot to move forward. She watched her brothers a few times before slipping off the couch.

Donnie noticed Baby Jo climbing off of the couch when she was supposed to stay on it so she wouldn't get run over. He raced over to her. "No, no, Jo-Jo. You have to stay on the couch so you don't get hurt. Here, let me help you." He reached down to pick Baby Joey, but she stepped backwards. "Huh? Come on, Joey, you need to get on the couch." He tried to pick her up again, but when Donnie stepped forward, Baby Joey took off across the lair; she turned to the turtle and giggled.

Donnie just blinked. "How did you learn to run so fast?" Joey hadn't even learned to walk yet, and there she was running. Then Donnie said, "You watched us. You watched us run and copied."

Joey just giggled and ran into the kitchen.

"Yo, Donnie!" Raph shouted. "Where ya been?"

"You're missing all the fun," Mikey chirped.

Donnie turned to his brothers. "Guys, Jo-Jo just ran into the kitchen."

"So, go get her. She could get hurt," Leo said, and headed for the kitchen.

Donnie grabbed his arm. "Didn't you hear what I said?"

Leo nodded. "Yes, you said..." he finally understood and gasped. "Joey _ran_?"

Donnie nodded his head hard.

"How can she run? She hasn't even walked yet," Raph snorted.

"Fine," Donnie said, "watch this. Jo-Jo, come out here!"

Baby Joey came running out of the kitchen with a pot on her head and she stopped in front of her brothers. She lifted the pot and squealed.

Leo laughed. "She must've learned from watching us." He bent down and patted Jo-Jo on the head. "You're very observant, aren'tcha, Jo-Jo?"

"I told you, she's precocious," Donnie said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"So it's one surprise. What's next," Raph shrugged, "she'll start talking by the end of the day? Now come on; Leo, you're it."

Leo nodded then turned to his baby sister, bending over to her height. "Joey, you wanna play tag with us?"

Baby Jo only blinked. "It's a game where one person is it," Leo explained, "and the others try and run away from that person. If the one who's it tags you, then you become it. Got it?" Joey only blinked; despite being an intelligent child, she still didn't fully understand some things. But she did understand when Leo said, "start running with the others if you understand." She took off running past Raph, Donnie, and Mikey.

"Whoa, look at her go," Mikey exclaimed. Then, he was tapped on the shoulder.

"Game starts, Mikey's it!" Leo shouted and ran away.

"HEY!" Mikey whined. "I was it last time!" Then he wearily chased his older and younger siblings around the lair.

"Open wide, Josephine," cooed Splinter as he held a spoonful of mushed fruit in front of Josephine's face. Without hesitation, the baby obeyed and opened her mouth, and Splinter dipped the spoon onto her tongue. "Good girl, Josephine...Can you say open? 'Open'."

Josephine swallowed what she had in her mouth and let out an "Uhh!"

"O-pen," Yoshi said slowly. Baby Joey let out the "Uhh!" sound again. Splinter chuckled and gave her another spoonful.

"What'cha doing, Daddy?" Donnie asked as he entered the kitchen carrying a book.

"I am feeding your sister, Donatello," Splinter explained as he wiped a dribble of food off of Jo-Jo's cheek, "and I was intending on getting her to talk."

"Has she said anything yet?" Donnie eagerly asked.

"Not yet, my son," Splinter said. "But I have a feeling she will be soon." He then heard another argument break out between Leo and Raph. He sighed heavily and asked Donatello, "Would you mind feeding your sister, Donatello?"

"Sure, Father," Donnie took the spoon and climbed up onto the chair as the rat left the kitchen and entered the dojo. Don dipped the spoon into the bowl full of blended fruit and held it close to Joey's lips. "Here's comes the airplane!" He made an airplane sound and motioned the spoon closer and closer to the infant's mouth. She laughed and opened her mouth. "You know when to open your mouth, but you can't say it yet, can you?"

"D'uhh!" Joey squealed. "D'u-nuh!"

Don gasped. "You almost said my name! Can you say the others' names?"

Little Jo-Jo paused for a second then let out a "L'uhh!"

Donnie giggled. "That must be your way of saying 'Leo'."

"W'uf-fuh!" squealed Baby Jo.

"That must be Raph," Donnie declared. "How about Mikey?"

"M'uhh!" Joey exclaimed, but the way it cameo out sounded like 'moo'.

Donnie laughed, Baby Josephine copied. "Okay, you're all fed," Donnie said as he wiped Jo's mouth clean and noticed her rubbing her eyes and yawning, "and I'll bet it's time for a little nappie." He lifted Joey out of the high chair and carried her to where she slept next to Splinter's cot. "How about I read to you? That may help you learn some new words."

The infant yelped and clapped her hands. Donnie quickly left the room and came back with a little book. "This book is special. Before you came along, we all created our own story and wrote it down. I'm sure you'll like it." He settled down and allowed Jo to crawl into his lap, and he opened up the book.

" 'Once, there were four turtles. They lived underground of a giant kingdom of monster-sized toy cars, towers made of bricks and glass, and lots of loud noises too. Despite all the noise, the turtles were happy with the underground cave they lived in, and called it home.' Can you say 'home', Joey? Ho-me. Ho-me."

"Uhh!" was all the little human chirped.

"Oh, well, we'll keep trying," Donnie sighed and turned the page. " 'The oldest of the turtles was named Leo. He was brave and daring, not afraid of anything'."

"L'uhh!" Joey exclaimed and pointed to a blue turtle on the page.

"That's right, that's Leo," Donnie nodded and continued. " 'The next turtle was named Raph. He was super strong and fearless. He could squash you like a grape'."

"W'uff!" Jo-Jo pointed to a red turtle.

"Yup, that is Raph," Donnie said and went on reading. " 'But no matter how angry he gets, he is still loved by his family. The next turtle was named Donnie. He was super smart, smarter than Albert Einstein, even. He can make anything and everything out of just as much'."

Baby Joey tapped on Donnie's chest with one hand and pointed to a light purple turtle on the page with the other. "D'uh-nuh!"

Donnie laughed. "That's right, that's me. 'The last turtle was named...' Do you know, Jo?"

"M'uhh!" Joey pointed to the orange turtle.

"Yup," Don nodded. " '...Mikey. He was wild and crazy, a real ball of fun. He loves to play pranks and make people happy. Sometimes Raph beats him up for pranking him. But no matter how much of a nut case he can be, everyone loved him. Even Raph. The turtles had a father'. What's his name Joey? Do you know?"

Joey yawned before letting out a "Y'uhh!"

Donnie nodded. " "His name was Yoshi! His sons called him Splinter for short. He was a very large rat who wore a long silky robe called a kimono. He was a great martial artist, and he taught his sons ninjutsu'." He turned the to the last page. " 'He loved his sons, and his sons loved him. They may not be any regular family, but their lives were perfect nonetheless'."

That was the end of the story he and his brothers wrote...but Donnie added on. "Then one day," he said to a now sleeping Josephine, "their father came home with a beautiful baby girl...you, Jo-Jo. His sons...we fell in love with you. Even though you are a human, you can still be our sister. When it would normally feel weird to be siblings with someone different than you...it feels right with you and us. It was almost as if Father was meant to find you. And Father loves you dearly. I love you, Leo loves you, Mikey loves, and Raphie loves you. We all love each other. We are a family...No matter who or what we are, everything is, and always will be, perfect. The End."

Joey sucked her thumb as her head rested on Donnie's lap. Don kissed her on the cheek and laid her head down on her pillow, tucked her in warmly, and tip-toed out of the room.

Later that evening, right around dinner, Splinter was getting the food ready to eat, and Donnie and Leo helped put Joey in her high-chair when-

"MIKEY!" shouted Raph as the little orange-clad turtle scampered out of his brother's room with a laugh. Raphael chased him around the lair; he was covered in marker. His legs were decorated with lightning bolts, his arms were covered in hearts, he had whiskers drawn on his cheeks, and had a pair of big lips drawn around his mouth. "I'M GONNA KILL YA!"

"You have to catch me first, Raphie-Waphie," Mikey mockingly shouted. "Na na-na-na na, you can't get me!"

Raph growled and ran faster. He was ready to land one on Mikey's head, but Splinter caught him by the wrist and lifted him up in the air.

"What is going on?!" Splinter scowled when he saw the doodles on Raph's body.

"Mikey drew on me while I was nappin', Splinter," Raph yelled and harshly pointed.

Splinter sighed restlessly. "Michelangelo," he called sternly, "come here at once."

Mikey hesitantly ran into the kitchen and innocently stared at his father. "Yes, Daddy?"

"Did you draw on your brother?" the rodent asked.

"No," Mikey shook his head.

"You big fat liar, you did, too!" Raph squirmed in his father's arms.

"Yame!" he exclaimed, and Raph fell quiet. Then he returned to Mikey, "So you say you did not draw on Raphael?" Mikey shook his head again. "If that is so...then why do you have marker ink on your hand?"

Mikey gasped and looked at his hands before quickly hiding them behind his back.

"Busted," Raph snickered.

"Michelangelo," Splinter scolded, "I am very disappointed in you; not only for drawing on your brother, but also for lying to me about it. As punishment, you will have an hour's worth of extra training for the rest of the week."

"But Sensei!" Mikey whined.

"No buts," Splinter held up a hand. "You have brought it upon yourself. Get yourself ready for dinner while I scrub your artwork off of your brother."

Mikey slumped in his chair while Splinter carried Raph to the bathroom.

"M'uhh!" Baby Jo exclaimed and patted Mikey's hand. He pouted while staring into her large teal eyes. She started babbling. "I'hh g'uhh b'uhh a'wuhh." Mikey just blinked.

"What she say?" Mikey asked his older brothers.

"I have no idea," Leo shrugged as he began eating his dinner.

"She babbled our names earlier," Donnie pointed out. "Jo-Jo, can you say 'Leo'?"

Joey exclaimed, "L'uhh!"

Leo smiled. "That's pretty cool," he said. "Jo, can you say 'Donnie'?"

"D'uh-nuh!" Joey babbled with a giggle.

"She's trying," Donnie said. "She knows the word, but just needs a bit more practice in pronouncing and sounding out the word."

"What comes out when she says 'Raph'?" asked Mikey.

"W'uff!" Joey squealed. Her brothers laughed.

After dinner, Leo and Joey were stacking blocks in the living area while Donnie sat in the recliner reading, and Mikey was watching cartoons. Raph strolled out of the bathroom with a smile on his face and plopped on the couch.

"Somebody had a good bathroom break," Leo smirked as all eyes fell on the strangely grinning turtle.

"Ehh, guess you could say that," Raph shrugged, still grinning. Baby Jo stared at him, as if she was observing him. She blinked and crinkled her nose. Raph noticed her staring at him. "What are you looking at, short stuff?"

"W'uff!" Baby Jo exclaimed sharply.

Raph raised a brow. "She supposed to say my name, or act like a doggie?"

"Trying to say your name," said Donnie.

"Well, you failed, Joey," Raph smirked.

"Hey, she's trying," Leo scolded.

"And I'm trying to watch my shows," Mikey said.

Then, Splinter walked through the living area. "Good evening my children."

"Y'uhh!" Jo-Jo flared her arms.

"Hello, Josephine," Splinter smiled and lifted the infant, nuzzling her, then sat her back down in front of her block tower.

"How are you, Father?" Leo asked.

"I am well, thank you for asking, my son," Yoshi replied and headed for the bathroom. "I am just going to freshen myself for bed and get ready to put Josephine to sleep."

Raph peeked over the couch and snickered quietly as he watched his father enter the bathroom. "What's so funny?" Donnie asked him.

"Nothing," Raph replied and slouched back down onto the couch. Joey watched him again; he was counting on his fingers...counting down. He put his last finger down, and suddenly...

"MICHELANGELO!"

Mikey jumped to his feet with a yelp. "W-What?!"

Splinter stormed out of the bathroom with something in each hand. He held out what he had, and everyone gasped. It was his staff, snapped in two, and dripping wet.

"I-I didn't do that, Daddy!" Mikey cried.

"You were the last one to use it," Donnie said.

"But I didn't break it and shove it in the toilet!" Mikey yelled.

"Michelangelo," Splinter roared, making Mikey cower and Baby Jo whimper. "Donatello is right; you were the last one to use my staff to train with after dinner."

"But I-" Mikey began.

"Yame! Do not lie again," Splinter scolded harshly. "I am highly disappointed, and angry, with you, my son." He pulled his son doen onto his knees and made him bend over.

"No! Daddy, no! No, I didn't do it! Daddy!" Mikey wept as Splinter raised his hand.

Jo's teal eyes widened as they went from Mikey to Splinter to Raph, and that's where they topped. His gaze was downward to the floor, and he was still smiling. Jo started babbling, fretting. "N-uh...N-N...NO!"

Splinter's hand froze, and his eyes fell on his infant human daughter.

"Did she just say..." Donnie began.

Baby Joey stood up. "No!"

"Yep, she did," he finished.

Jo-Jo ran to Mikey and hugged him while shouting repeatedly, "No, no-no!"

Leo blinked. "I think Joey doesn't think Mikey did it, Sensei."

"No!" Jo cried.

Yoshi, still shocked that his daughter had at last spoken, asked, "If Michelangelo had not, then-"

Joey then exclaimed, "Wu-W-Wa'ff!"

Raph's head snapped up and his own eyes went wide.

Then Joey pointed to the red-clad turtle and began to fuss.

Splinter took in a deep breath and nodded. "I understand, my child." Then, he released Mikey, who carried Baby Joey and himself across the living area and hopped onto the recliner with Donnie. Yoshi stood up. "Raphael."

Raph gulped and slowly approached his father.

Splinter held up the two staff pieces. "Is this your doing?"

Raph shivered, trying to think of what to say. With a heavy sigh, he hung his head and replied, "Yes, Father. I broke your staff...and shoved it down the toilet."

"Do I dare ask why, my son?" Splinter asked, folding his arms.

"B-Because...well...because...BECAUSE I WANTED REVENGE ON MIKEY FOR DRAWING ON ME!" Raph exploded.

Splinter sighed. "My son, Michelangelo had apologized. There was no need for revenge. Besides, revenge never solves anything."

"Well for me, an apology isn't enough," Raph grumbled.

"That is no excuse," Splinter boomed. "You are to share the same punishment as Michelangelo. Understand?"

Raph sighed heavily. "Yes, Sensei."

The rodent softened a bit and said, standing up, "I do appreciate you not lying to me, Raphael." Then he left the living area. Raph angrily sat down on the floor, crossed his arms and let out a 'humph'.

Baby Jo crawled off of the recliner and waddled over to Raph. "Wa'ff," she babbled, plopping down in front of him. He glared at her for busting him and getting his shell in trouble, and Raph turned away from her. But Jo just sat herself in front of him again; after a few times of this, Raph gave up trying.

"What!" he exclaimed.

Jo batted her teal eyes and patted his hand. "I'hh g'un b'uhh a'wuhh."

Raph wrinkled his brow. "What?"

Donnie got down from the recliner. "She said, or should I say 'babbled', the same thing earlier. Her speech has definitely improved now learning a new sound. I think I know what she's trying to say."

"Oh yeah, what, Einstein?" Raph asked.

Donnie smiled as he and Baby Joey locked eyes. " 'It's gonna be alright'."

Joey squealed and clapped her hands.

"I guess that's it," Donnie shrugged.

Raph didn't want to show it, but he was surprised that the infant before him knew what she wanted to say, and knew almost how to exactly say it. _Wow, _he said in his head. Joey just patted his hand again and crawled into his lap. Secretly, despite being punished and busted, Raphael smiled.

*coming soon-Training*


End file.
